Crossing the line
by Wynth
Summary: "Oh no. Oh no no no! I refuse to be stuck in a cave with a boorish, pig-headed man like you!" "Save it, Princess. It's no good thing for me either." "And don't cross that invisible line!" "With pleasure." The line is always crossed. •RenSaku / BLExNAR / Oneshot•


_Back! Happy be-lated birthday to my friend, **Moon**, who I offered to write a oneshot for. XD She chose Renji/Sakura, and here it is. Apologies it was so late, but I don't really have a proper excuse, other than the complete disinterest in writing anything. I hope you like it. :D_

_M to be safe, and also according to the rules. First attempt at something slightly heated.

* * *

_

—**CROSSING THE LINE—

* * *

**

There.

There, up ahead, was another person. A ninja. Though...

Sakura frowned, wondering why the guy was making himself obvious by standing in the light and casting his shadow across the dusty, concrete floor. She, herself, had done the _right_ thing and stuck to the darkness, but obviously he had sensed her or something because he hadn't moved from that spot for the last five minutes—and neither had she.

She was taught to take her time and not rush things, and in the heat of battle, learn to dodge, not attack—so wait she would, and dodge his attack if it ever came. Speaking of which, she could very well just turn and leave and find a different way to her destination but the place she was in was like a bloody maze—scratch that, it _was_ a maze. She had taken so many corners and twists and turns that her head was spinning, and she had only a vague sense of direction now that she was no doubt lost within the depths.

The idea to capture the ninja waiting for her around the corner had jumped to mind not once, not twice, but at least a dozen times. She could always get him and worm some information out of him by bending his fingers back but Sakura didn't exactly like the idea of torturing someone. Her job was to heal and mend bodies, to save their lives, not harm them unless absolutely necessary and taunted into it.

This guy hadn't taunted her—yet. His blatant shadow was getting on her nerves a lot though. Seriously! What type of ninja would leave himself open like that? She had rolled her eyes at his stupidity but figured, hey, score, he'd be easy to knock unconscious while she stole her way to the room that she had a feeling wasn't too far.

The room: her target. Some scroll of some smarty-party fancy-pansy noble was locked away—or hidden—in there; in an underground base that Konoha had actually found by chance three weeks ago. It was presumably uninhabited. They were stealing the scroll from a noble who had betrayed them, and the scroll was apparently Konoha's but she didn't try to delve too much in politics.

Sakura growled. Okay, this was getting tedious and it was an insult to any well-trained ninja.

Slowly, Sakura silently crawled from around the corner and stalked the shadow, keeping her eyes trained on it while also being keenly aware of the flickering torches. She kept her breathing even and quiet, hoping not to alarm the enemy before she had the chance to jump them. It seemed this guy had mounds of patience.

Three...

Two...

One...

The rosette sprung from the floor, slipping out a kunai and twirling it in her hand as she slid along the dusty surface of the corner, crossing over his shadow. She saw a brief expression of surprise and strong red-hair before a blade started coming down on her. Gritting her teeth, she dropped to the floor, resting briefly on her forearm as she lifted her legs and used the sole of her sandalled feet to push the blade out of the way, making sure she hit the flat of it.

She heard him curse as she quickly righted herself to a strong squat before twirling her kunai and preparing to stab him in the gut. His other hand suddenly gripped her wrist, so tightly that she was momentarily surprised by the sparks of pain surging through her bones.

He couldn't be seen, thanks to the shadows on his face—the light behind him—and for a moment it was silent until Sakura regained her thoughts; at the same time he had prepared his katana again.

As he raised his weapon to strike, Sakura locked her foot behind his knee and pulled towards her. He jerked, emitting a surprised "Gargh!" before he collapsed over her –she had slid out of the way in time to avoid the heavier weight but her wrist was still in his grasp.

He coughed, dust billowing, and then he groaned. Sakura breathed in exertion, quiet, quick pants.

"I hate this mission," the guy mumbled.

Sakura raised an eyebrow. Now that he was on his stomach, she could see the back of him a little clearer. He had red hair, pulled into a high ponytail, much like Shikamaru had his. His head was resting on the side, and she could see that his hairline was quite receded, but there were black markings there that reminded her all too much of the curse marks that Sasuke had.

What he wore was some tattered ninja clothing but she curiously noted that there was no headband. And looking at his katana, which was gripped in his other hand, she noted that it looked exotic compared to the ones she had seen created around Konoha—or any other country.

"Mission?" she asked, her cheeks slightly flushed from the rush.

He coughed again as he pushed himself off the floor and let go of her wrist—she wrung it tenderly. Clearly he wasn't a ninja. She could tell by his somewhat jerky movements that were not natural for a ninja. Ninja were more precise and swift in their movements, even when wielding a katana like he did. His stance and actions suggested that he had trained under some sort of brute force that required him to be strong and tough in the way he swung.

"You're not a ninja, are you?" she queried instead.

"And what gave me away?" he grunted, rubbing his head.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, the fall wasn't that hard."

"You must have a thick head then."

She kicked him in the leg and he yelped. The sound reverberated down the corridors, both dark and dank.

"I do not have a thick head," she protested firmly. "Your egg must be soft-shelled."

"My head is not an egg!"

"Well, it's certainly shaped like one," she stated with a pout.

He growled and glared in her direction. She found herself momentarily pausing to stare at the black, triangular marking on his face and that disappeared into the neckline of his clothing. For a second she wondered how far down they went—and then she blushed. Luckily he couldn't see it in the darkness.

"Are you going to kill me yet?" he asked, sighing tiredly.

Sakura snorted. "I do not kill. I heal."

This time he scoffed. "I _certainly_ got that impression when you had me kiss the floor."

She glared. "Would you like to again?"

"What type of healer wants to hurt people?"

"I don't like hurting people. I only hurt them when they hurt me." She paused, soaking in the words she just said. Was that really true?

"Uh huh." She saw him nod, unconvinced.

"You don't have to believe it," she snapped. "Now what's your mission?"

"Classified."

"'Classified' my ass."

"If you say so."

She growled. "Stop being smart."

He gave her a cocky grin. "You can't stop being intelligent, ninja."

"Ha—ninja?" she asked, stopping short. "Tell me what you are?"

"Just a regular old, boring man who has an egg-shaped head, a katana and a fetish for the floor."

Sakura glared at him level-headedly before giggling. "Admitted it, huh?"

"Shut up."

She laughed again before rising to her feet and looking around. She re-pocketed her kunai in the mean time, quickly re-checking if she still had everything she needed.

The problem was finding the room. Maybe a couple of turns and she'd be there but the door design may look the same as every other door she had come across and that was going to be a pain in the ass. The underground base looked much like Orochimaru's old hideouts, even though it wasn't. It was slightly different.

While the floor was quite dusty there were tapestries hung up along the edges of walls in some corridors, as well as a few paintings here and there. This guy had to be loaded to put such things in a place that would only be treaded two times a century—an exaggeration, yes, but she liked to.

She took but one step when he cut in somewhat knowingly.

"You don't happen to be looking for a certain scroll, do you?"

Sakura paused, peering over her shoulder to stare down at him but instead she had to crane her neck to meet his eyes. He was tall! At least half a head taller! She had to admit, he was intimidating. His broad shoulders were angled and stocky in a way that he seemed big, but it was really the way he stood—so simple and casual—that made her hair stand on end. He was making her shiver without even realising it.

He raised an eyebrow at her in her lack of words.

Sakura furrowed her brow. "And what if I am?" she asked, parting her lips only a little to talk.

"Damn." He sighed, scratching the back of his head. "This is gonna be a problem."

"Oh?" She crossed her arms and shifted her weight to one leg, so that her hip was more prominent. She didn't miss the shadow of his eyes dropping to her waist before he looked away. "How so?"

"Because, Princess, that scroll is my mission as well," he responded.

"How do we know it's the same scroll?"

"If it's got anything to do with Heaven and Earth then yes, it's the same scroll."

Sakura shrugged. "I don't know what it's called. I was only told that I'd recognise it when I see it."

"Take it from me, it's the same one," he affirmed.

"Fine. So how is this a problem?"

He groaned. "You have no idea what that scroll can do, do you?"

She scoffed. "And you do?"

"Of course, I do!" he retorted angrily. "My Captain didn't leave out a single detail regarding to the effects of this scroll, and trust me, it could harm millions!"

Sakura arched an eyebrow. "Captain?" It was an unusual title for a ninja to bestow upon somebody, but they had already established that he wasn't a ninja to begin with. This just made things even stranger.

He made some sort of strangled noise before he shook his head. "I don't need to tell you anything. You may as well leave, ninja, because I will not let you have that scroll. In the wrong hands..." he let his sentence trail off, but by that time the rosette had narrowed her eyes.

"'Wrong hands'?" she asked. "Leave my mission? Are you nuts! If we're both after the same thing, then we'd have to fight for it!"

He scoffed. "You wouldn't be a challenge."

She gaped. "Excuse me? Who did I just force to the floor mere minutes ago?"

"I was going easy on ya."

"Bullshit!" Sakura took in a deep breath to calm herself down, tensing her fist occasionally to ease the tight muscles. "Have you ever fought a ninja before?" she asked calmly.

"How different can they be from a Hollow?"

She had no idea what a 'Hollow' was, and wasn't about to ask. An idea sparked, then. He did seem aware of the effects of the scroll, so it was likely—perhaps—that he wasn't going to use it for wrong, and neither would Konoha. Maybe...

"Okay. Enough. We'll settle this a different way." She saw him tilt his head to the side as if to urge her keep talking. "Obviously we both need the same thing, so we'll do it like this. It's a race. Whoever finds it first, gets it. Finders keepers."

He thought about it for a minute, before sealing the arrangement with a firm, "Fine."

"We'll go in different directions," she suggested.

"No way. We both know the door is gonna be in that direction," he said, pointing down the hallway where neither of them had been or come from.

Sakura growled. "Fine. We'll both go that way, and if there's a fork, we'll split. Happy?"

He grunted.

The game began.

* * *

She didn't know how long she had been walking in the darkness, the only light from the dying flames of the wall-torches that were only once in a while as she moved deeper into the maze. She and the stranger had split up at least twenty minutes ago. There had been a fork, and there was a bit of a tussle with who would go down which way. Furious with both hers and his childishness, she let him go the way he wanted and made her way down the other path.

It was getting colder too, but that wasn't what was strange. She could vaguely smell fresh water—if it was possible to smell—as well as hear the sound of it gushing. She deduced that there must be a stream in a cavern beneath the maze.

Not too long later the air grew muskier, and she could feel the floor beneath her creaking with every step she took. Her breath would hitch, and at some point she kneeled down and rapped her knuckles against the floor, pressing her ear against it.

The sound that came back suggested the tunnel was right below her—hollow—so she took extra precautions in moving forward. Whenever she opened a door, she'd shift it only a little so that she could peer inside.

Thirty minutes later and the torches were more frequent. Forty more, and she was growing tired of the game. She had no idea if the stranger had already found the scroll or not, but she hoped fervently that he hadn't.

The answer to her question soon came to mind when she heard footsteps coming in the opposite direction. She stopped, and so did he, and they found themselves staring at each other at least twenty metres apart, several lit and blazing torches between them.

Also, between them, was a single door.

Anticipation riddled her muscles and nerves as she flickered her green eyes to it, and then back to the red-head. She felt anger seep into her body when she saw him do the exact same. She had no intention to lose to the arrogant man in front of her.

She started running to it, and he followed her example. The corridor was filled with the sound of the stamping feet and clinking of weaponry. She was near it, closer to it, but so was he. What if they got there at the same time? What would they do?

It did not matter, as the answer was once again given to her.

They both reached the door at the same time, only one of them flinging the door open so loudly it cracked against the wall. They were both expecting some expansive room, littered with the some sort of wealth to indicate that a noble lived in the maze, or once had. But that wasn't what they were met with.

The room was gone. A gaping chasm. And the two hardly had enough time to gather their balance before they slid from the edge, fingers clawing for some sort of hold to keep them up. It was no use, though, and Sakura felt the air leave her lungs when she fell into the darkness with him, the light from the corridor through the door the last thing she saw.

* * *

The ground beneath her shook and she squinted her eyes uncertainly, feeling the tremble beneath her body, measuring it.

"Wake up," someone whispered in her ear.

She moaned. The floor shook again and she exhaled slowly, lifting her head slightly from the ground only to be met with a very harsh hammer-like pain to her skull. It ached, spreading through her brain and giving her a major headache. She groaned.

"Ahh, good, finally. Took your time."

Sakura slowly sat up, her hands brushing across the dusty ground as her mind quickly started to put the puzzle pieces together. The last thing she remembered was racing some red-head to the door and falling into the darkness.

Opening her eyes, the rosette looked up, seeing the light from the corridor lamp shining dimly through the still open door many feet above her. A sudden rumble shifted dust, and it clouded the air, sprinkling around her.

"You're bleeding." A hand suddenly touched her head and she reeled backwards, bringing her own hand to her temple, only to feel congealed blood amongst her hair roots. She looked up to be met with the familiar red-headed rival, and fought the urge to scowl.

"I'm fine," she whispered. That was a lie. She was dizzy; no doubt had a mild concussion.

He snorted. "Hyeah right." He groaned as he slapped his hands on his knees and pushed himself up, scanning above him. "We're in trouble."

Sakura sniffled, blinking rapidly to gain her acute vision. "Why? How?"

"My... partner..." he said, swallowing heavily. "He's met some resistance and is shaking the foundations of the compound."

She paused. "Shit, that's not good." The rosette weakly stood, gripping onto the nearest thing to keep her balance as her world went topsy-turvey. She tried swallowing her spit and stabilising her breathing as she looked up as well, letting her hands rest on his bicep. "There are a series of tunnels beneath the compound, as well as an underwater river. He causes much more of a racket, he'll bring it down on us."

He stared at her. "Well aren't you a bright ray of sunshine."

She blushed. "I'm merely pointing out a fact."

"An obvious fact," he replied smarmily.

Sakura scowled. "Make him stop. Flare out whatever ridiculous energy you may have, _if _you have any, and make him stop!"

"I can't, you stupid woman!" he spat back. "It's not as simple as that!"

"It would be if you were a ninja!"

"Oh, right! I'm sorry I was born as something different!"

"Then what the hell are you?" she screamed.

"A shinigami!"

Sakura snorted. "Whatever you say, egg-head." She had to stop yelling. All the loss of air was making her even dizzier, and she was most definitely seeing double.

"You're an insufferable woman, you know that?" he shouted.

"Well—"

At that moment, all sides shook and more dust and dirt fell, followed by tiny pebbles that scattered across the rocky floor. Sakura clung to him as the quake continued, willing to forgo their argument and dislike for each other to survive in the long run.

It didn't stop.

A rock suddenly disconnected from the ceiling and landed heavily not far from them, making them both jump.

"It's coming down!" he yelled.

"I know!" she shouted right back.

The dust was so thick from the tremors that they both started coughing, and she covered her nose by pressing it against his chest. She felt so dizzy still, and she swore she was more than ready to collapse.

All of a sudden he started to shift her from their spot and she clung to him as he did so, wincing whenever he'd sharply stop to avoid a falling rock. She listened to him panting as he worked to make their way for safety, and she had no clue where she was or what was happening after she suddenly blacked out.

* * *

Sakura could hear some sounds of exertion, followed by a few colourful curses. Groaning, she slowly sat up again and pressed two fingers to her temple, easing chakra to her concussion, something she was supposed to have done ages ago when she first woke up. Blinking blearily through the darkness, the rosette shifted around to see him working profusely at a stone wall.

His hands were peeling and bleeding, his bright red hair slowly coming loose from its band. And beside her was his choice of weapon, placed by her collection of weapons, tags and medical supplies.

"Damn it!" he shouted, stepping back from the stone wall and wiping his bloody hands on his shirt.

Growling, he pulled his arms from the baggy sleeves and let it hang loosely around his waistline, held simply by a belt. Sakura felt heat rush to her cheeks as she unconsciously let her green eyes roam his naked back, taking in the distinct black tattoo that stretched to the end of his spine. The sweat from his work glistened on his skin in the little light that he conjured—a tiny fire in the corner—and his muscles rippled as he used them to lift the heavy boulders. His long red hair was like tiny weeds drifting with a gentle river current, curving around the bones of his shoulder blades and the bumps of his spine.

She released a shaky and hasty breath as she looked away, a hand to her cheek. Vehemently Sakura cursed the blush that stained her skin, and cursed the numb feeling that encased her lower body.

"Oh, you're awake."

His voice was so sudden she jumped, emitting a yelp. Staring wide-eyed in his direction, she caught him wiping sweat from his brow as he wiped his hands, again, on his shirt. He had tattoos all over his chest as well... not that she was looking or anything.

_No, Sakura! He's your rival! He's not attractive! Okay... maybe a little... but he's an idiot! He-he—think of what the kids would look like! _

Sakura blanched, curling her lip up in distaste.

"Oh, my apologies, want me to put my shirt on?" he asked in a mocking tone.

The rosette scowled, and with an almost huff, slashed her finger across the layer of dirt on the floor. Hopefully, with that, he'd keep his distance, and with distance she wouldn't suddenly find herself... looking at him... that way... again.

Ignoring his confused expression, she instead glumly said, "Put out the fire. It's burning the oxygen."

He snorted. "Duh. I knew that. I wouldn't have done it otherwise."

"...oh."

He chuckled. "You really think I'm an idiot, don't you?"

Sakura finally looked at him, glad that all her... thoughts... were banished from her mind—at least temporarily. "I don't think, I _know_."

He raised his black eyebrows at her in amusement. "Is that so? Well, if you're so good, and have... fixed up your head injury... then how about finding a way out of here?"

Her eyes widened. "You mean..."

The man nodded slowly, his amused grin slowly vanishing to be replaced with fear.

Sakura shook her head. "Oh no. Oh no no no no!" She scowled, jabbing a finger at his chest. "I refuse to be stuck in a cave with a boorish, pig-headed man like you!"

A scowl met his lips as he rose properly to his feet. "Save it, Princess. It's no good thing for me either."

"And don't cross that invisible line!" she shouted almost hysterically, pointing at the short line she had drawn which was almost gone—wait, almost gone?

"With pleasure," he drawled as he backed up.

"Wait wait wait!" she screamed. Instantly she moaned when her wound gave her a nasty reminder that it still existed. "Don't move!" Her eyes stared closely at the ground, the shadows of the flames dancing across the floor, almost disguising the light wisp of air that brushed across it, turning the dust in her direction. "Wind."

They were silent. "And water," he added. "I can hear it."

"So can I."

The man started to inspect the walls, running his fingers over the rock wall until he reached a section that was unusually fragile. He exerted a bit of pressure against the rock and instantly it crumbled.

"Thin," he stated, peering through the hole. "The river is right here."

"Open the hole," Sakura said, nodding at him. "Will let more air in, and we'd have some water."

He proceeded to work the thin crust down. "But no food."

"Water is more important. Please, get me some."

He mumbled to himself as he tore off a sheet of his clothes and dunked it into the water, letting it soak. After a moment, he pulled it out and brought it to her, making sure to humour her by not crossing the line. Sakura scowled as she took it and pressed it gently to her wound, dabbing at the cut and the blood.

"I have a concussion," she informed.

"Is it bad?"

"I'll be fine after a bit of sleep, I think."

"Fine. I'll keep working."

Sakura didn't bother to tell him that it would be fruitless. Even if he did manage to shift a few, the loss of it would cause the entire collection of rocks to move further down, perhaps even trapping them into the cave. Any more, and they might be crushed. But she understood that he merely just wanted to take his mind off of their problem, and she couldn't blame him. Even after clearing up all the blood and tentatively healing her wound, she continued to act like there was more to do.

Hours passed in silence. There were the few squabbles, and each time she'd bring back her headache. She had offered to heal his bleeding hands and he had accepted, but she did her best not touch him or even look him in the eyes.

And then he noticed it.

"Oh, shit."

Sakura gazed up from her lap and set her worried eyes on the man, following his concerned gaze in the direction he was looking. Her heart leapt to her throat when she saw it, a sheet of water trickling into the room, spreading inwards. Slowly, their eyes met.

Her eyes started to water. "You've got to be kidding me."

He stamped to the hole and peeked out, looking right and left. "The current goes left. The level is rising."

"That much is obvious!" Sakura screamed, her voice reaching a note of hysteria. She still had her concussion, so getting up and walking would still be difficult, but letting the wound hit water... it'd just make things worse.

"Shut up!" He grabbed the convenient dry wood that was already lit and held it up, keeping the cove alight. He hurried to her. "Grab your things."

Sakura started to panic but collected her things anyway. He slung his katana over his shoulder as well, standing by her. He helped her rise to her feet—also with the aid of the wall—just as the water hit their feet. Sakura released a slight whimper.

"It's freezing!" And her head was light.

"We have to go into the river," he said, gesturing to it. "Come on."

"No no! I'm not touching you!" Sakura protested. She knew that the situation was dire, but honestly her body betraying her felt much worse.

He glared, snarling. "Do you want to drown?" he shouted in her face, his breath tossing her fringe back from her cheeks.

She panted, shivering as the water pooled faster over their already cold feet. "No," she whispered. That wasn't the only thing she was worried about though. Who knows what the cold water would do to her head wound? She was dizzy as it was, felt like vomiting, and her vision was still so blurred that the added iciness on her skin just made it harder to concentrate. And the chances of getting pneumonia were heightened if she was ever submerged.

"Good. Which way?"

She thought about it quickly. "Left."

He gripped her elbow and forced her to squat as they peered through the hole, watching the river flow. Luckily, the tunnel seemed hollow all the way.

"Alright," he grunted as he positioned Sakura's hands on the top of the hole making sure she had a grip before he stepped slowly into the river. He gasped, surprised at the iciness of it; he felt dizzy for a few seconds. Turning around stiffly, he gestured for Sakura to come in as he fought against the flow.

"Just so you know..." she swallowed, "...I hate you."

"The feeling is more than mutual."

"Good," she whispered, her breathing hastening. "Just making sure."

"Come on."

She did, slowly, using him as support, tightening her hold on him when she was hit with the same wave of light-headedness that made her almost black out. The bottom of the river was slightly mossy, removing some of the friction they might have had otherwise. Her sandals scuffed against it as they took tiny steps with the flow, keeping balance.

They walked for what seemed like hours but was really only minutes. Their legs were getting numb from the cold, and they were both shivering because of it. The water level was slowly rising, and was now at their upper waist, the cold grasping at their organs. It must have been only five minutes later did Sakura force him to stop.

"What is it?" he whispered, his teeth chattering.

She panted. "Something's coming," she barely got out as she tried to keep her head straight.

"What?"

She wavered for a moment, and then suddenly deflated against him. "Water."

"We can handle that," he said confidently.

"No," Sakura protested, digging her nails into him as she held on tight. "It's rushing. I can hear it hitting the walls."

"Shit."

Sakura felt him urging her to press on, but she was like a stick glued to his side. He briefly touched skin; she was cold. Her lips were blue, her eyes glazing. Soft whimpers of pain and haziness left through her chattering teeth. He lumbered on, keeping an ear out for the warning tidal of water.

It came quickly.

Panic flooded him and he paused briefly before rushing on, faster than before. Sakura started clawing at him madly, and he stopped, realising that she wanted to say something. She spoke, but it was so soft over the gushing water, he had to tilt his head closer towards her to catch the words.

"Go. Under..." she croaked. Sakura couldn't believe what she was saying. This would make things so much worse for her, but being tossed about by an oncoming surge would have them being thrashed against the stone walls, killing them.

He nodded, glancing behind. He felt the spray of water against his face, and as soon as he saw the surge he squeezed Sakura around the shoulder and took a deep breath just as she did, plunging under the surface. Beneath was just as rampant as the water circulated violently, twisting and turning, tugging at their clothes and hair as they were pushed with the strong current above them.

The pain in her head suddenly disappeared, but she knew all too well that it wouldn't stay that way. He held her tightly against him, keeping her secure as they let the current take them. She didn't know how long she'd be able to hold her breath, but it was as though Kami had heard her—and him.

He helped her break to the surface almost exactly after the violent churning of water disappeared. They both gasped for the icy air, but Sakura only felt it stick to her lungs like tiny icicles. Her head was banging and she felt sick, an unpleasantness whirling in her body. It was difficult to breathe.

She didn't know what happened after she slipped into unsettling darkness.

* * *

Sakura was freezing. As soon as she felt consciousness seep into her body, she knew that she was cold and attempted to gather as much warmth as she could by curling into a ball and grabbing at whatever it was lying over her. Huffing, her fingers shivering and tightly clenched around the material, Sakura realised only vaguely through the thick mist in her mind that she was still clothed in her wet attire.

"You're awake." By now she was used to his voice penetrating the haze in her mind, and she only blearily acknowledged him by releasing a small moan. A warm hand met her forehead and she eagerly leaned in to it. "You're still cold."

He sniffled, and she recognised the sound of a crackling fire nearby, the flames heat the only warmth—besides his body—provided for her. But it did hardly anything.

"W-Whe-ere are..." she stuttered, opening her eyes a sliver to see his looming shadow.

"Where are we?" he affirmed. She nodded weakly. "Still trapped. I found a small den from the river. It was difficult to make a fire because the rock was all wet. Don't worry, plenty of oxygen."

Sakura didn't laugh at his tease of her former comment, but fell silent, sighing. Would they ever get out?

"We both got a little more cut up, too," he informed. "A few scratches from scaling the rock, and you have a big bruise on your left shin. I used some of your supplies but they were broken and wet, so I had to make do."

"T-Thank you," she whispered, so quietly she was like a skittering mouse.

He grunted his 'welcome'.

"So cold."

"I gave my shirt to you, I don't have anything else," he said. Sakura stretched her fingers over the material in her hands and tried to see if it was truly his shirt shielding her a little. The material was quite soft, a lush and professional knitting that made her briefly wonder where he got it from. She wanted one like it; and even though it was quite thin, it was surprisingly warm—not that she could tell.

A dozen things were wrong. She might have caught pneumonia, for one, but her concussion was still relatively untreated. The small mending she had done who knows how long ago was just the first stage to decrease the recovery time, but for that time to remain consistent, nothing should have happened in between.

She watched through glazed eyes as he prodded the fire, the dying flames emitting some sparkage to keep it blooming. Only then did she realise something.

"What's your name?" she asked softly.

He glanced in her direction and she saw the goose bumps covering his expose skin. At the same time she tried to train herself not to stare at his tattoos or elsewhere.

"Renji Abarai. You?"

"Sakura Haruno."

He smiled. "Pretty."

The rosette blushed, glad for the shadows she was in. "Sturdy," she replied without missing a beat.

Renji sputtered, standing. "Sturdy? You think my name is sturdy?"

"Yes."

He sighed hoarsely. "I can't yell at a sick woman, especially because she can't yell back."

Sakura smiled. "There'd be no talking, either... if we don't get out."

"What do you mean?" he asked, jabbing the coals with an elongated wet stone he had found somewhere. When she didn't answer he looked up and stared, his eyes wide. "Don't tell me..."

The medic didn't say a word as she buried her head further under his shirt, her teeth still chattering. The sound of it echoed around the cage, and from his spot, Renji could see her frame shivering beneath the material.

He didn't have much knowledge of medicine, nor any practices that should be done to prevent anything, but what he was thinking was pretty much common knowledge. He was reminded of her 'invisible line', but seeing her in such a weak state just pressed him to stand up and approach her.

Sakura's eyes peered out from the darkness to see him standing over her but then he took a step around her, and she felt him settle down behind. She flinched when she felt his arms slowly lift her from the cold floor and usher her to his chest. Her head thudded, going numb, making her vision blur; she moaned.

Next thing she knew she was lying on the floor again, held tightly in his arms, the feeling of his chest pressing against her back whenever he inhaled. It made her heart skip a beat, and even more when she started to feel his breath on her damp neck.

She felt oddly afraid. She was scared before about what her body thought of him, when her mind didn't like him at all. But... Tsunade had told her that a medical ninja's main priority was to dodge blows, because without them, their teammates would die. A medic-nin relied on their body's instincts to move, to react. Sakura trusted her body to do this, because thinking would only make her stuff up.

Now she was afraid of what she was doing.

So she let it go.

The sick rosette exhaled shakily before she shuffled further into him, urging him to close his arms further around her shoulders. It was warm, a good thing, but it was also safe; a bonus.

She could get used to this.

"What's Konoha like?" she heard him ask. His vocals rumbled against her back, shooting sparks down her body.

Sakura bit her lip; he must have recognised the leaf insignia. "It's a beautiful place. There are trees everywhere, growing over buildings, their large roots strengthening the walls of the houses. The ground is almost yellow, the shops and other buildings the colour of cream and made of beautiful brown wood. There's a mountain to one side, and each of our previous hokage are carved into the stone, as though they're looking over the village. It really is beautiful... what is your home like?"

She could feel his anxiety through the tensing of his arms wrapped around her stomach.

"You said you were a shinigami. A Death God?" she pushed softly. "Tell me about yourself."

"Some of it... is confidential," Renji replied. He tried to speak softly but his voice was so deep that it sounded loud in the den anyway.

"Then don't tell me everything," Sakura quipped.

He chuckled. "It's a place called Soul Society; not a very ingenious or good sounding name like Konoha. There are... sections; poverty in many of them but I live in the centre. It's called the Seireitei."

"Poverty?"

"It's hard to explain." He felt her nod and he continued. "There are a number of strong people in the Seireitei. Its walls are of stone white and divide the centre into many sections. There are mazes, there are gardens, there are sewers. We have a mountain, too... of sorts... but it's not quite like yours."

"Sounds so formal," Sakura admitted. "Sounds like... a prison."

"Well, it isn't," Renji answered roughly. "It's where I grew up, that and the sections outside the Seireitei."

"I didn't—"

"It's fine."

She released a sigh. "Where is this place?"

"That's confidential."

"Oh, come on!" the rosette complained. As soon as she raised her vocals her voice seemed so stretched and thinned that she croaked. She went silent, dropping her head on the curve of his arm and shoulder, shivering. "Who is this partner?"

"He's my superior; my Captain," was her answer.

"Sounds like a sensei," she murmured. "Did he teach you things? How did you find him?"

He moaned as he shifted around on the stone floor. "I was assigned to his division. Training is really my own business. He doesn't care."

"Division... like squads. He doesn't sound too nice."

Renji chuckled. "Ha! He's a noble, he isn't meant to show things such as that."

"Sounds like the Hyuuga clan. They're nobles as well, but a few of them aren't too bad. What is it about nobles that make them so ice-like and stuck-up?" It was rhetorical.

"I have no idea."

Sakura suddenly jostled, screaming, "Watch your hands!" Her voice was coarse.

"My hands didn't go anywhere," he growled in her ear.

She half looked over her shoulder back at him. "Well, I don't trust you."

He chuckled and the rosette scowled, gazing further over her shoulder to tell him off but halting completely when she realised just how close his head was to hers. Their noses brushed and Sakura's breath hitched, making her cold body flood with tingling warmth.

"Is that so?" he said slowly, making sure that her wide green eyes didn't leave his. He watched in interest at her slow swallow.

"No, I don't."

"Well, then. Must be a good thing."

"What?"

Sakura had barely got her word out before she felt him brush his lips across hers and then landing firmly against them, sealing the gap. She parted her lips in a silent gasp as she inhaled air before he securely bit at her upper lip, his bottom one blocking her mouth. A rogue squeak vibrated in her throat but Renji heard it nonetheless and smiled.

It was awkward but oddly right at the same time. He nibbled and sucked and she let him, their eyes closing slowly and opening only seconds before he pulled back, leaving her breathless.

Shutting her mouth, Sakura stared at him. "What has that got to do with trust?" she breathed.

"If you trusted me then I would have had to be a gentleman," he said coyly.

"My concussion may be worse than I thought. I must be hallucinating," she whispered. At his raised eyebrow she continued. "That kiss was too good to be true for the first one," she mumbled as she buried her head into his arm again.

Now that she wasn't looking at him, she quickly noticed her racing heart and her heated body. She didn't feel as cold anymore, but the concussion was still a serious matter. Her head was hurting now, and even though the kiss still made her lips and toes tingle, anymore and her mind would go foggy, hinting her to sleep.

Renji kissed her neck softly, gauging her reaction, which was a soft noise of content. "Sa-ku-ra," he whispered in her ear. "What happens if I cross the line?"

A soft exhale.

"You'll go to prison."

He would have chuckled had it been her voice he heard, but it wasn't. He jolted, snapping his head up to see Captain Kuchiki standing by the entrance, his clothes quite tattered and drenched with water. There were freckles of blood across his white haori and lightly sun-kissed face, but he harboured no other wound than that. His black eyes were narrowed dangerously at the red-head, as well as at the pinkette currently unmoving in his arms.

"C-Captain," the red-head stuttered, surprised and... scared.

"It was a rule for shinigami to _not_ get involved with anybody here, and you disobeyed that rule, Lieutenant Abarai," the black-haired noble stated, his voice tinged with venom. Had it been any other moment, Renji would have mused that his Captain was probably more than a little peeved with their mission and was more than ready to leave.

Instead, the Lieutenant quietly slipped his arms from around the medic and gently lay her down on the stone, watching her lips part as she quietly breathed. He feared for her life. She had fallen asleep quite quickly; too quickly.

"Leave her."

"What?" he shouted.

His Captain glowered. "She was interfering with our mission. Has she not been a burden since you both fell?"

Renji scowled. "No. No, she was a big help."

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow. "And in what way?"

The red-head so wanted to say a few things to his Captain, but knew it would only get him into further trouble. He didn't doubt he'd be punished for being that close to her willingly in the first place.

"I thought so," was his Captain's reply.

Renji growled as he closed his eyes in defeat. His words were true. Sakura was actually helpful, even if it wasn't in the practical sense. It was something that Captain Kuchiki wouldn't understand.

He was a strong person, but her company, though quite frustrating at times, had kept him sane, had kept him thinking properly. He had to strategise to keep them both alive, so he had to be careful. Had he been alone, he would have swung his Zanpaku-to without thinking and caused the entire place to collapse on him, but with Sakura there... he was able to sit and think... and enjoy her company at the same time.

And even a little more.

"But she could die!" he protested, a final attempt. Her temperature was just levelling before his Captain arrived, but now it might plummet. Plus there was that concussion of hers.

"Leave her."

Renji growled but Captain Kuchiki didn't budge.

"Let's go."

"...hai, Captain."

* * *

The breeze was warm against her face while she stared over the village from the mountain, her short pink hair caressing her nape. Her eyes were distant, dull green, thick bags beneath her eyes so that she resembled a zombie. There was a small white band-aid on her forehead, her hair there shaved away to make room for the mending. She was out of the woods, had been for a week or so, but nightmares plagued her each night she rested her head.

It was hard to sleep.

She dreamed of churning water, violent and callous, thrashing her against stone until she gave up hope, and always the nightmare would end with a glimpse of a man standing by the water's edge, peering down at her with harsh but warm eyes. She'd blink and the river would swallow her.

Other nightmares were of the same kind, but differed slightly. One was of her walking along a cave tunnel, water dripping, the sound echoing loudly in the never-ending path. It was frightful, even with the torch she'd hold. On the walls she had often see black markings when the light from the flame glanced across it, and she'd stop to inspect, running her fingers over the angular corners. A vague face would enter her mind, but whenever she got too close, water would come crashing down the tunnel and she'd die again.

Pills were considered, but they helped only a little.

Sakura exhaled, hugging her waist protectively.

"There you are."

She glanced sadly over her shoulder and managed a weak smile for Naruto before staring back over Konoha, her face glowing with the colours of red, orange and yellow from the setting sun. For some reason, the view elated her.

"It's nice, isn't it?" Naruto murmured, stepping up next to her. Sakura peered at him, tracing across the lines on his cheeks and his shaggy hair blowing softly in the wind. His eyes gazed at the horizon, a blend of cool and warm colours.

"Yeah," she whispered, watching the sunset again. "I appreciate it more than I had before my mission." She weakly smiled again. "It's funny. I'm a kunoichi. I risk my life every day, every mission. I've brushed across death so many times that I'm surprised he hasn't consumed me; all of us." Her voice broke. "But what happened in the caves..." and she sobbed, "...it affected me so much more. Why?"

Naruto contemplated her words. "I don't know. I don't let death get to me."

"That's the thing, Naruto. I didn't use to either, but now—" she shook her head resolutely. "M-Maybe it's because I'm not afraid to die with honour on the battlefield, but in those caves, I was at the mercy of the water because I had a stupid concussion."

"You couldn't do much with the concussion to begin with, Sakura."

"But—" she closed her mouth instantly, not wanting to fight with him.

They stood side by side as friends, soaking in the beauty of the sunset until it almost died atop the canopy in the distance. Naruto exhaled loudly, running a hand through his hair casually while he grabbed Sakura's hand and tugged it.

"Let's go back in."

She resisted. "How did you find me?"

Naruto faulted. "What?"

She met his eyes. "How did you find me? I was dying. I know I was!" she added quickly when she saw him about to protest. He always tried to sugar-coat things for her and it was annoying.

"Kakashi and I searched the area with Kiba and Hinata. We met a man with black hair and a katana. You wouldn't believe it, Sakura, he looked like an Uchiha." He chuckled at the irony. "Black eyes; stoic face. I thought it was Sasuke's long lost cousin or something. Anyway, he said that an acquaintance of his was down there, and was trying to find a way in.

"He didn't actually help but we all searched the area. By the time we found the entrance, one that he made, you were alone, lying in the cave almost dead." He shook his head mournfully. "I was so scared that I was going to lose you."

She was touched, but she knew that already. "I'm stubborn, Naruto. You should know that."

* * *

_My ceiling is dull, and so are my walls. They need colour. Hmm. Green? No, no, that wouldn't suit too well, I don't think. A soft blue? No, I'm tired of that colour. It plagues my nightmares enough as it is. Red? Maybe..._

Sakura's thoughts were wild as she stared boredly at her ceiling, her toes twitching beneath the sheet that veiled her prone body. She was tired but the nightmares still remained. Over the past week they had changed even more, but still contained the same sort of elements; water, tunnels, dark damp, markings, a face. Only more recently the face was coming into view. She could see the blood-red colours of long locks draped over a shoulder, and the glowing of black markings on tanned skin. It made her excited.

That was partly why she was awake. Her mind whirred with possible identities of this man. She knew he had a major role in her survival, and her suspicions were confirmed when Naruto had briefly mentioned him that night on the mountain. She was completely intrigued. It was annoying that her mind was such a blur when it came to him, but very precise in detail in the water that came to crush her.

There was more solace in staying awake, where she could run her mind over his image over and over again in almost absolute peace.

"Clearly you haven't been getting your beauty sleep," a voice rumbled above her.

Sakura yelped, shooting out of bed and slinging out a kunai to attack, but a larger hand wrapped around her wrist before she could get the chance. Panicking, the rosette lifted her green eyes to meet amused brown.

"You," she breathed, puffing a stand of hair from her face.

This man... he matched the one in her mind.

A roguish grin stretched across his lips. "Who else?"

She stuttered for a second, trying to figure out what was going on even if it was clear as crystal. "A friend often does that," she whispered. "Appearing at my window."

He raised a would-be eyebrow. "During the night?"

She sighed. "No."

"Good, because then I would feel less special," he teased, jumping down from her window and looking around her room. Sakura watched him carefully, catching sight of his katana by his side and his clean appearance. He whistled, peering at a medical document. "You know what all these words mean?"

Sakura giggled. "Of course. I am a Medic-nin."

"True true," he agreed, moving about a bit more before sitting on her bed.

Now she felt like an idiot. His name was on the tip of her tongue but it wouldn't slip through her lips. It was driving her insane, but in the end, she relented.

"Uh... forgive me and all but... what's your name again?" she asked tentatively, drawing her feet from beneath the sheets and folding them beneath her.

He coughed loudly and she quickly tried to calm him. "You don't remember my name? That must have been one bad concussion," he mused as he reached a hand over and ghosted his fingers over the cut on her forehead. "Renji, by the way."

Sakura exhaled shakily as she watched his arm, the forefront of her brain tingling at the familiarity of the name. "I recognise you, and some line, but..."

"Then the kiss...?"

The rosette pursed her lips in confusion, scrunching up her nose. "Kiss?"

Renji chuckled, leaning in. "How 'bout a reminder?" And without another word, met her lips securely.

Her squeak was stifled instantly when the back of her head was pushed against the wall behind her. She stared cross-eyed at the bridge of his nose and breathed out unevenly, slowly succumbing to the tingling sensation that flooded her brain as Renji added more pressure to the lock.

It was innocent and sweet but still somehow so moving.

And from there, things just escalated.

Their kisses grew heated and frenzy, their lips yearning for travelling but unable to tear from each other as he sidled closer to her and gripped her wrists, pushing them into her pillow. She moaned, feeling his thigh brush against her inner leg, and in reaction, she arched into his chest, pulling an arm from his grip and lazily hanging it over his shoulder. He didn't complain.

Breathing grew laboured, the mild air escalating in heat, somehow becoming spicier as their mouths smashed against each other and roamed every vacant patch of skin; the nape, the jaw, the shoulder, above Sakura's breast where she mewled softly in delight, earning him a passionate rake across his clothed back.

"I'm..." Sakura panted. At last he was pressed against her on the wall, their faces flushed as he nipped at her ear and trailed a hand firmly down her side, caressing the tiny curve of her hip. A finger testing the waistband of her pyjama shorts cut her off as she tried to speak again, and the repeated 'I'm' was left in the still air.

"I'm...?" he murmured into her ear.

"I'm sure this didn't happen last time," she gushed in a heated rush.

"No..." he moaned before lifting his head to meet her eyes. "Now I'm improvising."

Screw the imaginary line. From then on she'd never disobey her body again.


End file.
